Tag: Andre Iguodala

The Warriors defeat the Raptors, it was not easy

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by Jerry Feitelberg

Toronto- The Golden State Warriors downed the Toronto Raptors 127-121 Wednesday night in Toronto. The Raptors were playing the second game of a back-to-back series. They faced the Cleveland Cavaliers Tuesday night and lost 121-117. The Raptors, however, did not show any signs of fatigue as they scored thirty-eight points in the first quarter to take a four-point lead 38-34 over the Dubs. The Warriors, as has been their custom so far this season, started slowly. The trailed by ten 29-19 late in the quarter. The Raptors were controlling the boards on defense and driving the lane attacking the rim on offense. Raptor center, Jonas Valanciunas, scored eight points and clogged the middle for Toronto. The Dubs closed the gap to four late in the quarter. Kevin Durant hit a three-point shot as time expired. The Warriors came to life in the second quarter. The Warriors took the lead 41-40 when Durant hit another three. Toronto regained the lead and led by four 49-45 when Steph, KD, and Draymond Green went to work. The Dubs went on a 21-2 run at the end of the quarter to take a thirteen point lead 66-53. They outscored the Raptors 32-15 in the second quarter.

In the second half, Klay Thompson got hot, and the Dubs increased the lead to twenty(74-54). The Dubs appeared to have put the game away, but the Raptors are not exactly chopped liver. They fought back behind the play of Demar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry. The Dubs had no rhythm and were committing dumb fouls. DeRozan kept going to the charity stripe and the Raptors went on a 17-4 run to trail by nine 95-86 at the end of three.

The Warriors behind Steph, Andre Iguodala, Patrick McCaw were able to fend off the Raptors as they refused to go down. DeRozan kept making free throws, but Shaun Livingston and David West made key buckets for the Dubs. McCaw sank a three-point shot from the corner and played well on defense making a couple of steals. The Warriors held on to win 127-121.

Game Notes- With the win, the Dubs improve to 9-2. The Raptors drop to 7-4. Steph led the scoring with thirty-five points. KD had thirty, and he had six assists and nine rebounds. Draymond added eleven, and he had five assists and seven rebounds. Draymond also had a couple of steals and several blocks in the contest. Klay Thompson scored fifteen, but he made three key three-point shots in the third quarter.

DeMar DeRozan led Toronto with thirty-four points. He made all seventeen free throws, too. Kyle Lowry had twenty-four. Valanciunas had twelve, and Corey Joseph(14) and Terrence Ross(11) helped the Raptors, albeit in a losing cause.

The Warriors became the first team since 1990 to shoot better tan 50% from the floor and had thirty plus assists in five straight games.

The Warriors travel to Boston to play the Celtics Friday night.

Warriors second half struggles lead to Game 6 loss

Published on by Michael MartinezLeave a comment

by Michael Martinez

picture credit Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images

At the half, the score was tied at 61. Kyrie Irving and LeBron James each had a tremendous first half, but Klay Thompson kept the Warriors right in it.

Out of the half, James and Irving continued playing great on the offensive end of the court while the Warriors began to struggle. The Cavs shot over 60 percent from the field in the third quarter while the Warriors shot 29 percent.

And then in the fourth quarter, Cleveland only shot 42.1 percent but Golden State shot an abysmal 23.8 percent. After things had been close and both teams played tough, James and Irving kept playing like great players do in elimination games.

As Draymond Green was suspended from game 5, it seems as if James took advantage of facing anyone else but Green. Andrew Bogut also came out early in the third quarter with a knee injury, which effected the Warriors defensive presence.

In place of Green, Andre Iguodala had a solid game finishing with 15 points, 11 rebounds and six assists. Thompson finished with a team high of 37 points as the forward was 11 for 20 from the field with six threes. Thompson was nine of nine from the charity stripe.

MVP Steph Curry scored 25, but the James and Irving were simply too much.

James and Irving became the first pair of teammates to score 40 or more points in a Finals game. With Kevin Love playing poorly, the duo was the reason Cleveland is sending the series to a game 6.

James and Irving scored 41 points apiece. James grabbed 16 rebounds and tallied seven assists shooting 16-30 from the field. James’ jumper looked smooth and the Warriors had no answer on the defensive end.

Irving also had six assists and incredibly knocked down  17 of 24 shots from the field.

As the final horn sounded, the Cavs defeated Golden State 112-97. Cleveland shot 53 percent from the field for the game and the Warriors just shot over 36 percent.

Tonight, the Warriors struggled to find their shot from beyond the arc, which is usually how they take the lead and maintain it.

Heading back to Cleveland, the Warriors should be excited to get after it in hopes of grabbing their second championship in as many years. Golden State will have Green back and more news is to come regarding Bogut.

The Warriors are going to need to find an answer to stop either James or Irving because if both play as well as they did it’s going to make difficult to finish off the series.

Tune in to ABC on Thursday at 6 p.m. PT and be prepared to watch a game full of offensive flurry. Golden State will look to try and finish off their historic season with the greatest prize the NBA has to offer.

The Golden State Warriors Hold up the NBA Chmpionship Trophy as a Team

Warriors Stand on Championship Ground

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

AP Photo/Tony Dejak

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

Has the dawn of a Golden State Warriors Dynasty arrived? Will the Splash Brothers be on the front float of many a victory parade? Only time will tell, but for now Title number one is under the Dubs’ belt. But one can’t help but think of the future while watching Stephen Curry toss the rock into the crowd in the closing minutes of his first title reign.

The Golden State Warriors defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-97 Tuesday night in Cleveland to win the NBA Finals four games to two. The World Champions overcame a 12-point first quarter deficit before riding a 60-54 point second half to handedly top the Cavs for the Bay Area and it’s ardent supporters the first Larry O’Brien Trophy since 1975. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said it right when he said “You’ve waited a long time” in his post-game speech.

The Warriors led the NBA from wall-to-wall, notching countless franchise records on the way to a 67-win season. They then swept the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the playoffs, rallied from a 2-1 series deficit against the Memphis Grizzlies to win the Conference Semifinals and broke the wills of the Houston Rockets to claim the Western Conference crown in one of the most dominant playoff runs the league has seen.

Despite boasting the reigning Most Valuable Player in Stephen Curry, the Warriors were deemed the best team facing the best player in the World, LeBron James. The Warriors proved that team always wins out after receiving meaningful contributions up and down the bench Tuesday night.Head Coach Steve Kerr dialed all the right buttons in becoming the first rookie head coach to win the championship. No egos stood in the way, with former All-stars like David Lee and Andrew Bogut accepting diminished roles as the playoffs wore on.

Andre Iguodala went vintage after being given the starting nod, scoring a team-high 25 points. For his efforts, he was named Finals MVP, a feat special but not as great as being a champion for the first time in an 11-year career. Draymond Green, a star in the making after having to wait till the second round of the 2013 draft, converted the triple-double with a 16 point/11 rebound/ 10 assist line. The MVP scored 25 points as well on 8 of 19 shooting, earning his signature moment by hoisting the biggest trophy in the land. Shaun Livingston and Festus Ezeli earned their rings by contributing 10 points apiece off the bench.

James did his best to will the title-starved City of Cleveland to a game 7, coming an assist short of another NBA Finals triple-double. The King scored 32 points with 18 rebounds, but couldn’t will his ragtag troupe of title hopefuls. Despite losing both Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in the playoffs, James still proved the toughest challenge for the Warriors.

What does the future hold for the Champs? First and foremost comes the parade. Then after that, it’s all about locking down Draymond Green, an upcoming free agent. After that, the Kerr will need to replace assistant coach Alvin Gentry. Gentry accepted the New Orleans head coach slot after the Warriors bounced the birds from the playoffs. If Kerr’s proven anything after his rookie year, it’s that the team is in good hands.

With general mananger Bob Myers building a young core that will keep Oracle Arena roaring for years to come and owner Joe Lacob committed to winning, the dark days of the Baron Davis-Gilbert Arenas Warriors are over. With one banner already on its way to the rafters, the Warriors are looking to claim the crown as the latest NBA dynasty, following the footsteps of the showtime Lakers, Russell or Bird’s Celtics and the Parker-Duncan-Ginobli Spurs. Perhaps in a few years these Warriors will be spoken of in similiar tones.

James’ Triple-Double Gives Cavaliers Game 2 in Overtime

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington
Entering game 2 of the NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers had little cause for optimism. Already down one all-world player with Kevin Love sidelined, LeBron James and co. were dealt a devastating blow when all-star guard Kyrie Irving broke his knee in the game 1 overtime loss. Following game 2, the Cavaliers have found new life and a fresh start.
The Cavs bested the Golden State Warriors 95-93 in overtime at Oracle Arena Sunday, evening the NBA Finals at a win apiece. Despite missing the potential game-winner in regulation, LeBron James still dominated the contest. The Cavs superstar notched his 13th career playoff triple-double, scoring 39 points while pulling down 16 rebounds with 11 assists.
James might have had a case of déjà vu. With the score tied at 87 and 8 seconds left, the former Finals MVP had a chance at the game-winner. Just like in the waning moment of game 1, James came up empty, missing a lay-up at the rim to force OT.
In the extra session, the Cavs struck first, with Iman Shumpert hitting a trey. James then went to the line, sinking both free throw to put Cleveland up by 5 with 3:17 left. The Warriors scored the next six points, four on consecutive Draymond Green baskets and a pair of Stephen Curry free throw to take the 93-92 lead with 29 second left.
Following a timeout, James’ jumper was blocked by Green with Andre Iguodala picking up the rebound. Igoudala couldn’t maintain control of the ball though, turning the ball over while resetting the Cleveland shot clock with 18 seconds left. From there, Cleveland’s unlikely hero stepped up.
After another James jumper missed with 11 seconds left, St. Mary’s product Matthew Dellavedova reeled in the offensive rebound. He was then fouled by Harrison Barnes, hitting both free throws with 10 seconds left to put Cleveland up by one.
At the other end, Curry missed a jump shot that would have put the Warriors up. Barnes was then forced to foul James, who sunk one of two from the charity stripe to put Cleveland up 95-93 with four seconds left. The Warriors inbounded the ball quickly, but Curry turned the ball over to Shumpert to wrap up the loss for the home team.
Curry struggled throughout the night to find his scoring touch after being dogged by Irving’s replacement, the gritty Dellavedova. The current MVP scored only 19 points, going 5 for 23 from the field. Curry hit only 2 of 15 three-pointers on a night where the whole team went cold from downtown. Out of 35 attempts, only 8 treys went in for the Dubs.
Klay Thompson accounted for half the production from beyond the arc, hitting 4 of 12. The second half of the Splash Brothers had a breakout contest, scoring 34 points on 14-28 shooting over nearly 46 minutes of play. Harrison Barnes (11) and Draymong Green (10) were the only other Warriors to reach double-digit scoring. For the Cavs, Timofey Mozgov (17) and J.R. Smith (13) joined James in double-figure.
Despite being the shorthanded team, the Cavaliers looked to have the game well in hand. They led the NBA’s regular season wins leaders by 11 points with five minutes left. Led by Curry’s 7 points, the Warriors outpaced the Cavs down the stretch 19-8.
Golden State opened up the game on an 11-6 scoring run and built a quarter-high 8-point lead at 20-12 with 3:12 left in the 1st quarter, but the Cavs closed out the half on an 8-0 run to pull even. Again the Warriors built a 6-point lead in the 2nd, leading 31-25 halfway through the frame but Cleveland went on a 15-2 run to take a 40-33 edge. The Warriors clawed back, often finding themselves only two points back or even, but never led again until the 93-92 advantage in overtime.
The series now shifts to Cleveland for Tuesday night’s game 3. After already setting history as the first Finals to have games 1 and 2 go to overtime, who knows what these two teams will have in store at Quicken Loans Arena in two days.

Curry, well-rested Warriors outrun dragging Spurs

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND  — Stephen Curry finished with a game-high 25 points and 11 assists, and fellow Splash Bros. Klay Thompson added 20 points as Golden State picked up right where they left off pre-All-Star Break with a 110-99 victory over the San Antonio Spurs Friday night to improve to 24-2 at Oracle Arena this year and 43-9, both NBA-bests.

Curry’s second quarter technical foul ignited the Warriors, who finished the second quarter on a 21-11 run to take a 62-55 lead at halftime and never looked back.

Golden State avenged their 113-100 home loss to the Spurs back on Nov. 11 with a full team effort, including shooting a blistering 51 percent (17-for-33) from behind the three-point arc.

Harrison Barnes scored 16 points and five rebounds, while Andre Iguodala finished with 14 points including knocking down 4-for-6 from downtown.

“The ball movement was tremendous tonight,” Iguodala said of the Warriors, who outscored San Antonio 23-10 on fast break points.

Draymond Green and David Lee each finished with 11 points. Green finished tied with Iguodala and Andrew Bogut for a team-high six rebounds.

Kawhi Leonard and Aron Baynes each scored a team-high 12 points for San Antonio (34-21), who dropped their second straight road game post-All-Star break. San Antonio lost 119-115 to the Clippers in Los Angeles Thursday night where Leonard shot 1-for-11 from the floor.

Baynes finished with a game-high 11 rebounds.

Boris Diaw had 11 points, while Marco Belinelli had nine points for the Spurs, who shot 60 percent in the first half, but cooled off in the second half finishing with 48 percent from floor.

San Antonio controlled the points in the paints, 44-40, and shot a better free throw percentage than Golden State (15-for-20 75 percent for Spurs to 11-for-18 61 percent for Golden State) but the Spurs couldn’t buy a bucket from three-point range, shooting 6-for-19 (31 percent).

Tony Parker, who was harassed by Curry’s defense the entire night, finished with just two points and six assists.

Tim Duncan scored just eight points after a 30-point effort in Los Angeles.

The Warriors hit the road for a six-game stretch through the Eastern Conference, starting Sunday in Indiana.

 

 

Warriors Last of the Unbeatens Left Standing

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The list of the unbeaten in the NBA has been trimmed down to one. In a battle of teams with unblemished records, the Golden State Warriors topped the hosting Houston Rockets 98-87. Stephen Curry collected a double-double, scoring a game-high 34 points for the Warriors while reeling in 10 rebounds.

Curry hit 13 of 19 field goals and dished out five assists to hand the Rockets (6-1) their first loss of the 2014-15 season. Andre Iguodala pitched in 15 points off the bench while starter Draymond Green collected 14.

The Dubs (5-0) turned in their best defensive performance to date this year, holding the rockets to a .349 shooting percentage. Houston hit only 30 of 86 shots attempted. James Harden (22 points) and Isaiah Canaan (21 points) topped the Rockets in scoring.

The Rockets managed to outscore the Warriors 56-48 in the first half before the Warriors turned on the defense. The Dubs allowed a scant 21 points down the final 24 minutes while scoring 50 of their own for the victory.

Golden State puts its perfect record on the line in the second game of a back-to-back against in Phoenix Sunday. The Suns have played .500 basketball this season, winning three and losing three.

Thompson, Warriors hold off Nuggets in preseason finale

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By Joe Hawkes-Beamon

OAKLAND — Looks like the Golden State Warriors are ready for the start of the regular season, especially Klay Thompson.

Thompson scored 35 points in 36 minutes of action as the Warriors nearly squandered a 17-point fourth quarter lead to take down the Denver Nuggets, 119-112, Friday night in the preseason finale for both teams. Golden State defeated the Nuggets, 104-101, in Des Moines, Iowa, on Oct. 16.

Stephen Curry added 17 points and 11 assists, Andrew Bogut chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, while Leandro Barbosa added 15 points to lead the Warriors bench.

Golden State (6-2), played as a unit, totaling 35 assists while turning the ball over 12 times, compared to the 29 turnovers the team committed in Tuesday’s victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. The Warriors shot 51% from the field (44-of-86).

Denver (2-6), finished with six players in double figures, led by Jusuf Nurkic’s 16 points and eight rebounds. Randy Foye scored 13 points, while Danilo Gallinari and Alonzo Gee each had 10 points.

Both teams open up the regular season on Oct. 29, with Golden State heading to Sacramento to face the Kings, and Denver will host the Detroit Pistons at the Pepsi Center.

Game Notes:

Stephen Curry Bobblehead Giveaway

The first 10,00 Warriors fans received a free Stephen Curry bobblehead presented by Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. 10,000 Warriors fans received an Andre Iguodala bobblehead presented by Lucky’s Supermarkets on Tuesday.

Ticket Giveaway

For the 2014-15 season, the Golden State Warriors are once again donating tickets for every Warriors home game to local Bay Area youth organizations as part of the team’s Player Ticket Section program, it was announced today. Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr is also donating tickets as a part of the program.
The donations will make it possible for over 6,500 local youth, who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend an NBA game, to experience the joy and excitement of Golden State Warriors basketball at Oracle Arena. Additionally, Oracle will once again donate tickets to local groups to sit in the Oracle Zone.
Here is a list of this season’s special ticket sections:
 
                                          SECTION…………………………………………….. DONATED BY
                                          Kerr’s Krew………………………………………….. Steve Kerr
                                          Leandro’s Leaders………………………………….. Leandro Barbosa
                                          Boys & Girls Clubs of America……………….. Harrison Barnes
                                          Curry’s Corner………………………………………. Stephen Curry
                                          Anonymous………………………………………….. Anonymous
                                          Shaun’s Shorties…………………………………….. Shaun Livingston
                                          Rush’s Rascals………………………………………. Brandon Rush
                                          Team Marreese………………………………………. Marreese Speights
                                          Klaymakers…………………………………………… Klay Thompson
                                          Oracle Zone………………………………………….. Oracle

Warriors Continue Undefeated Preseason, Romp Lakers

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew T.F. Harrington

The preseason continues to be an unmitigated success for the Golden State Warriors following a 116-75 romp of the Los Angeles Lakers Sunday evening from Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

Stephen Curry had a game-high 25 points for the Warriors, while fellow starters Klay Thompson (16)and David Lee (14) cracked double-digit scoring for the Dubs as well. The bench combined for 50 total points, led by Marreese Speights’ 11.

The Warriors held Kobe Bryant to just 3-of-13 shooting for a total of six points. Guard Wayne Ellington and center Robert Sacre topped the Lakers with 12 points apiece, with both players coming off the bench for their team-leading totals. Los Angeles starter Jordan Hill matched Warriors center Andrew Bogut with seven rebounds each.

Golden State lit up the hosts early, scoring just one point shy of 40 in the first quarter. The Warriors outscored the Lakers 24-23 in the second quarter to take a 63-36 lead at the midway point. Another 35-plus point quarter but the Dubs up 100-60 with three segments in the books. Neither team lit up the score sheet in the final fourth, with Golden State outpacing the Lakers 16-15 down the stretch to finish up the blowout.

Andre Iguodala, who had his nose broken in a game against these same Lakers on Thursday, played in a protective facemask. He once again starred in a preseason play that may call attention after Ronnie Price came out of his shoe trying to defend the Warriors point guard. Price tossed his shoe non-maliciously at Iguodala in an attempt to knock the ball loose.

The Warriors now roll on to Des Moines, Iowa where they will take on the Denver Nuggets. The October 16th contest will be played at the Wells Fargo Arena.

Warriors lose heartbreaker to Mozgov, Nuggets, fail to clinch playoff birth

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By Gabe Schapiro

The Golden State Warriors (48-29) lost the Denver Nuggets (34-44) in ugly fashion, 100-99, Thursday night, at Oracle Arena. Losing by one point doesn’t look so bad on it’s face, but the Warriors let a 20-point lead slip away, got out-worked for long stretches, were thoroughly dominated on the glass, and couldn’t convert on their first chance to seal a playoff birth. Stephen Curry nearly saved the day with a last-second floater, but wouldn’t be outdone by Kenneth Faried, who followed with one of his own.

The Warriors played well out of the gate. They quickly built a double-digit lead, a lead that grew to 20 just four minutes into the second quarter. From there the momentum swung to Denver’s favor, and for Golden State it all went down hill. The Nuggets kept chipping away, as the Warriors play slipped. Denver finally grabbing their first lead of the contest half way through the fourth.

Curry did his best Superman impression to try and salvage the win, but came up just short. He scored the Warriors last eight points to bring them back, very briefly giving them the lead. The last two of those points were a thing of beauty. With less then a minute to play, Curry somehow came down with a rebound, took it the length of the court weaving through several defenders, and floated a shot over Denver’s big front court. The shot gave Golden State a 99-98 lead with five seconds to play.

Unfortunately for Curry and the Warriors, Faried countered with his best Kryptonite impression. In those five remaining seconds he received an inbound pass, backed down Draymond Green, got up a floater of his own that he would sink to drown Golden State’s hopes for a win.

Faried may have hit the game winner, but the night belonged to Timofey Mozgov. The big center scored 23 points to go along with a career-high, and an NBA-high this season, 29 rebounds. He also had three blocks and a steal. Faried chipped in a big double-double as well, adding 18 points and 17 boards.

In the losing effort, Curry was the standout, but did struggle with his shot for much of the night in the face of heavy pressure from the Denver defense. He had a team-high 24 points, six assists, and four steals. Klay Thompson was their only other consistent offensive option, contributing 21 points.

Unfortunately Golden State’s other three starters had very poor nights. Andrew Bogut, Andre Iguodala, and Draymond Green combined for 14 points, on six-of-15 shooting.

The Warriors will have another shot at clinching tomorrow night in Los Angeles, when they will be facing off with the Lakers at the Staples Center. The game begins at 7:30 PM.

Curry Surprises Jackson With Buzzer-Beater Over Mavs In OT On Coach’s Birthday

Published on by Matthew HarringtonLeave a comment

By Matthew Harrington
Warriors coach Mark Jackson received quite the birthday gift from his All-star guard Tuesday night at American Airlines Arena in Dallas. Stephen Curry hit the game-winning shot with .1 seconds remaining in overtime to cap a Golden State 122-120 upheaval of the Dallas Mavericks (44-31). As coach Jackson blew out the 49 candles on his cake, the Dubs created a little bit of breathing room in the Western Conference playoff picture. Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavs entered play Tuesday with 44 wins, just one less than their foes from California. The Warriors (46-28) have two games in hand over Dallas.

Curry’s game-winner in the extra session, his third career buzzer-beating basket, was a culmination of a 43-minute, 23-point effort. Fellow guard Klay Thompson topped Golden State on 27 points, going 11-for-24 from the field including 4-of9 from downtown. Jermaine O’Neal, starting at center with Andrew Bogut not making the trip nursing a sore groin and David Lee in street clothes for the third-straight game, picked up 20 points and 8 rebounds. Marreese Speights’ 9 rebounds paced the Warriors.

Ex-Warrior Monta Ellis did his best to sink his former franchise, shooting 11-for-23 with 27 points. Mavs perennial All-Star Nowitzki contributed a game-high 33 points over 39 minutes of play and converted the double-double on a game-high 11 boards.

The Warriors connected on a blistering 57.1 shooting percentage, making 52 shots on 91 attempts including nearly half (15) of their 31 shots from beyond the arc. Mark Cuban’s club held the advantage in turnovers, forfeiting possession 8 times to the visitors’ 12. The Mavericks somehow managed to keep Golden State from going to the free throw line for the entirety of the second half.

The Warriors overpowered their hosts in the first, racing out to a 30-21 lead after twelve minutes of play. Dallas bombarded Golden State with 41 second-quarter points, the most the Warriors have yielded in a single frame this season, while limiting the visitors to 23 points for a 62-53 halftime edge.

It took the Warriors nearly ten minutes of play in the third to catch up to Dallas when Speights rolled in a layup to make it 78-all before Vince Carter hit one of two free throws to restore the slim Mavs one-point edge. The Warriors would score seven of the last nine points for an 85-81 lead after three frames.

Dallas capped a 10-5 run to open the fourth with a Carter basket to pull ahead 91-90 nearly four minutes in to the final stanza of regulation. The Warriors briefly wrestled the lead back from their foes but found themselves trailing 106-102 with 1:43 until the final horn. Andre Iguodala and Thompson sandwiched three-pointers around an Ellis jumper to knot things up a 108 a piece with a minute left but that would be the last basket of regulation as the teams would require an five-minute overtime to decide the victor.

Dallas opened the final five minutes on a Dirk jumper before Jermaine O’Neal hit only one of two free throws to pull the Warriors within one at 110-109. O’Neal represented the first Warrior to head to the charity stripe since Thompson completed the and-1 play with 2:55 left in the second quarter. From there the two teams would go shot-for-shot over the next five baskets before a Thompson trey preceded a Curry 16-foot jumper to put the Dubs up 118-117 over halfway through OT.

The Mavs’ Jose Calderon responded with a three of his own before O’Neal took a Draymon Green feed to the rim to knot things up at 120-all. The Warriors were looking for a quick basket to force a last-possession chance, a goal achieved when Green connected with O’Neal with 28 seconds left.

On the penultimate Dallas possession of the game, Ellis tried to take the winning shot but he was rejected on the layup by O’Neal. On the next Warrior possession Curry connected on the off-balance jumper with a tenth of a second remaining. The Mavs couldn’t connect on the in-bound deflection play, and after a brief review, the Warriors win was official.

Golden State looks to give Jackson a second belated gift Wednesday evening. They continue on to a showdown in San Antonio with the Spurs at the AT&T Center where they haven’t won since Valentine’s Day of 1997, just six days before then 31-year-old point guard Jackson was dealt from the Denver Nuggets back to the Indiana Pacers. After the second leg of the Texas road trip the Warriors return to the West Coast for a showdown with in-state rivals, the Sacramento Kings, Friday night at Oracle Arena.